Gate City area residents can now experience an essential Venezuelan food called arepas at the newly launched Arepas Factory in the Pine Ridge Mall.

The new Chubbuck food spot is a creation of Andrade family, who may recall their now-defunct restaurant in Station Square called Food o’ Clock, which also provided Venezuelan-inspired dishes.

The Idaho State Journal recently interviewed Juan Andrade and his wife, Rina, as well as their daughter Viviana, who helped translate for the interview.

The Andrade family came to the United States in 2014, seeking political asylum during the high-tension Venezuelan protests. According to the Venezuelan Observatory of Social Conflict, “9,286 protests occurred in 2014, the greatest number of protests occurring in Venezuela in decades.”

It has been nearly a decade since that turbulent era in time, and the family found its roots in Pocatello around 2020, having a new opportunity to showcase not only delightful Venezuelan food but also impart some of their culture on the Gem State.

“Venezuelan culture can be very different from other cultures,” Viviana said. “Usually people are like, 'Oh, it’s Hispanic food. They’re all the same.' No, we’re not. Arepas are the main (Venezuelan) dish and it’s something that you can eat for breakfast, lunch or dinner. For breakfast you can eat an egg and then for lunch, beef. You can change it however you want it. If you only want cheese on it, that’s fine and honestly, sometimes I eat them by themselves.”

Arepas are traditionally made with a ground maize dough, have a similar shape to a thick pita and are stuffed with beans, meat, the usual vegetable offerings and a variety of sauces.

Arepas Factory takes the conception of these Venezuelan mainstays into an inventive new direction, offering chia seed, spinach, sweet potato and beets, which are ground into a puree and added to the dough bases. Made from scratch, these enticing alternative offerings are unique to Arepas Factory and customers would be hard pressed to find them anywhere else.

Vegetarians and vegans also have plenty of savory options to treat themselves to.

“I make the vegan beef by myself,” Rina said. “It’s a plantain base with plantain leaves. I cook them and season them just like regular beef. Add onion, garlic, whatever. I did that completely intentionally for people that don’t eat beef or just can’t eat (meat) for whatever reasons.”

In addition to the vegetarian beef there is also a vegan cheese alternative, providing a vast array of choices for any diet. Shredded beef, chicken, pork and turkey ham are still available as a filling option.

Popular Venezuelan drinks are also on the menu with beverages such as Frescolita, which is similar to red cream soda, and Maltin, a non-alcoholic malt soda made with cane sugar. A house salad, Caesar salad and Caprese salad are also available to enjoy.

While the main offerings of Arepas Factory will be its namesake, the Andrade family will have a popular Venezuelan food later in the year called hallaca, a more elaborate type of tamale that is wrapped in a banana leaf and served around the Christmas season.

Certainly, there is a rich sense of Venezuelan cuisine and culture imparted upon the hungry customers of Arepas Factory. The made-from-scratch arepas are incredibly flavorful, enriched with bold homemade ingredients that tantalize the taste buds and offer a window into an authentic Venezuelan eating experience.

Arepas Factory is now open in the Pine Ridge Mall in Chubbuck. Its hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday.